Roof rack with integrated light

ABSTRACT

A roof rack with integrated light includes a mounting frame section with an integrated receptacle in the front or rear side. This mounting frame section is mounted to the roof of a vehicle using mounting elements that connect it directly to the roof or other sections of the roof rack. A light source suitable for automotive applications is located in the receptacle and covered with a lens. This lens covers the majority of the length of the frame section but does not extend above the top of the frame section. The system can be powered by connecting it to the vehicles system or a battery.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to Taiwanese Patent ApplicationNos. 103304895 and 103214883, filed on Aug. 20, 2014; Japanese PatentApplication No. 2014-005040, filed on Sep. 20, 2014; and German PatentApplication No. 202014104627.5, filed on Sep. 26, 2014, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments disclosed herein relate to vehicle roof racks, and moreparticularly to vehicle roof rack lighting systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional roof rack systems allow cumbersome objects to be secured tothe top of the vehicle. Such conventional systems may include attachedspotlights to provide additional illumination ahead of the vehicle.These spotlights are known to extend outwardly and forward from the roofrack, often above the top of the roof rack itself. By extendingoutwardly so much from the roof rack, such forward lights typicallyprevent certain types of objects from being secured to the roof rack,such as cargo carriers, for example, that may extend forward of the roofrack's cross bars. Furthermore, by using a series of discrete lights,such systems provide inconsistent illumination of the area ahead of thevehicle, rather than a uniform illumination more useful to the driver.

Additionally, passenger vehicles generally have two rear brake lights atthe respective sides of the vehicle, and a third rear brake lightcentrally located above the rear hood or hatch. This third light istypically positioned so as to be at the eye level of a driver of astandard vehicle following the lighted vehicle, in order to allowquicker recognition of the vehicle braking, thereby helping to preventaccidents. Being located for the typical passenger vehicle, however,these central brake lights are lower than the average eye level of adriver of a passenger truck or SUV, and those even on trucks and SUVsare much lower than the eye level of drivers of semis and other largevehicles.

For driving safety, vehicles are normally provided at the rear withheadlights, brake lights and flashing lights. In the darkness, the brakelights illuminate red while driving. During braking, the brake lightglows an intense red. When turned on, the flashing lights can be yellowor other colors. A vehicle's lights allow other road users to see thevehicle, recognize the direction of travel as well as the intention ofthe equipped vehicle. However, a vehicle's lighting is generally foundonly at designated locations, usually the four corners of a car body.The warning provided to other road users is limited because there may bemany blind spots where the persons and vehicles located laterally of thevehicle cannot see the lights. Also, many of the vehicle lights areusually mounted below the line of sight, especially for drivers oflarger vehicles. Further, some lights may be obscured by other equipmentsuch as an aforementioned trunk mounted bike rack. In some cases, if twovehicles are sufficiently close to each other, the driver of the rearvehicle cannot easily see the lighting of the front vehicle, leading toaccidents.

The various embodiments described below allow for improved roof racklighting systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present embodiments address and overcome the limitations ofconventional roof rack lighting systems by integrating the light sourceinto the roof rack itself and thereby preventing the lights fromobstructing the loading of cargo, but also structurally protecting thelights from heavy cargo loaded on the roof rack. Additionally,embodiments are capable of providing more uniform illumination of thearea ahead of the vehicle, while increasing visibility of the vehicle toother drivers.

In an embodiment, the present roof rack lighting system includes a brakelight integrated with the roof rack that can be connected to thevehicle's braking light system to aid warning of trailing drivers.

In an embodiment, the present roof rack lighting system can also beintegrated and/or retrofitted onto conventional roof racks, which maycome in a variety of configurations. By integrating the lighting systemonto conventional roof rack bars, the lighting system is retainedwithout interfering with cargo loading. Thus the roof rack can be usedas it would be normally, while providing the added benefit ofillumination and visibility to other drivers.

In an embodiment, the present roof rack lighting system can be combinedwith individual pieces that make up a conventional roof rack. Inparticular, the frame of the roof rack can be configured to provide aninternal receptacle for, and also structurally protect, the light sourceof the present system. In an embodiment, the illumination may beprovided by a single extending light source, or by an array of multiplelight sources in combination with a diffuser in order to provide acontinuous illumination. In an embodiment, the light source canalternatively or additionally be covered by a lens, which may also serveas a diffuser, to protect the lights from breaking while the roof racksystem is used to carry cargo. In another aspect, a light sourceintegrated into the roof rack functions as a warning, hazard, and/orbrake light.

In an embodiment, the present roof rack lighting system may beintegrated with a vehicle roof bicycle carrier. Bicycles are a veryimportant means of transportation. Without the use of any fuel bikes canbe used for transportation, which is very energy efficient andenvironmentally friendly. There are generally two conventional types ofbicycle carrier. One type attaches to the trunk of a vehicle, and theother type mounts on the roof rack. With a roof rack, two mountingframes are usually mounted transversely from front to back and from leftand right on the roof of a vehicle. Thereafter, the front and the rearwheel of the bicycle to be fixed to the mounting frame to hold thebicycle in position on the roof of the vehicle and thus to transport thebicycle to the destination. In an embodiment, the present roof racklighting system allows for the integration of lighting systems,including brake lights, with bicycle carriers.

In an embodiment, the present roof rack lighting system allows the lightsource or sources to be incorporated into the front, sides, and/or rearof the roof rack. Accordingly, the integrated lighting system mayinclude warning lights to accompany several other vehicle warning lightsystems.

In an embodiment, the present roof rack lighting system may utilize alight source along the rear of the roof rack to function as anadditional or alternative brake light, typically red in color, which maybe accommodated into a receptacle in the roof rack frame. The rear lightsource may also utilize yellow lights on each respective side of therear light source to serve as an additional turn signal warning for thevehicle. The side bars of the roof rack may also include such turnsignal warnings to warn drivers to the side of the vehicle who cannotsee the front or rear turn signals on a typical vehicle.

The present system avoids the abovementioned disadvantages by providingwarning or brake lights in location other than at the four corners ofthe vehicle as well as by providing such lights at an elevated level.Such lights are thereby placed conspicuously at a higher point, yet alsointegrated within an existing structural component common to manyvehicles, which structural component may also serve to protect the lightsource within the system. The present system allows other road users toclearly see the equipped vehicle from a distance, or from an angle orperspective not typically visible. In this way advantages are achievedand the driving safety is increased.

The present embodiments can be used with a variety of types of roofrack, including bicycle carriers. In some applications, it will bedesirable to provide illumination for different areas, including thecargo itself. Further, this invention can be used with the various partsof the roof rack, including mounting frame sections that form thesidebars and crossbars of the roof rack. In other applications, it isnot necessary to provide illumination for the driver of the equippedvehicle , but rather the illumination is provided for the benefit ofother drivers—to alert them to the presence of the equipped vehicle orits cargo.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an assembly of components of thepresent system, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the components of the assembledcomponents of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the present system installed on a vehicle,according to an embodiment;

FIG. 4 shows a rear view of the present system installed on a vehicle,according to an embodiment;

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the present system installed on a vehicle,according to an embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of a portion of the present system,according to an embodiment;

FIG. 7 shows a side view of the present system installed on a vehicle,according to an embodiment;

FIG. 8 shows a rear view of the present system installed on a vehicle,according to an embodiment;

FIG. 9 shows a side view of the present system installed on a vehicle,according to an embodiment;

FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of an assembly of components of thepresent system, according to an embodiment;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A roof rack with integrated light or lights is illustrated and describedbelow according to the present embodiments. By integrating light sourcesinto the bars of the roof rack, additional safety and warning lightingmay be provided without obstructing cargo mounting on the roof rack, andwithout damaging the light sources so implemented therewith.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, a roof rack lighting system 100 includes amounting frame 1, which is attached to the roof by an attachment element2 that connects and attaches the mounting frame 1 to the vehicle or toanother section of the roof rack frame. This attachment element 2 can bea portion of the mounting frame 1 configured for attachment to a vehicle4 (as shown) or it can be a separate piece that attaches the mountingframe 1 to the vehicle 4 or other portions of the roof rack frame.

In an embodiment, the mounting frame 1 contains a receptacle 11 in theside of the mounting frame that is configured to accommodate a lightsource 3. Within the light source 3, illumination is provided by a lamp(not shown) of a sort suitable for automotive applications, such ashalogen, LED, electroluminescent, or florescent. This lamp is configuredfor connection to a power source (not shown) such as a battery or thevehicle's electrical system (not shown). The outer surface 5 of thelight source 3 may include a lens 7 that protects the lamp within thelight source 3. Depending on the type of lamp or lamps used, the systemmay also contain a diffuser (not shown) that can be incorporated withthe lens 7, or on either side of the lens. A diffuser allows for moreeven illumination across the light source even when multiple lamps areused.

The roof rack lighting system 100 can be powered either by beingconnected to the power system (not shown) of the equipped vehicle 4 orby another power source, for example, a battery (not shown). Theparticular configuration will depend on the desired application and thepower requirements of the particular system.

The mounting frame sections 1 can be mounted with light sources 3 facingoutward in the sidebars of the roof rack, as best seen in FIGS. 3-4.Alternatively, the system can be mounted so that the light source 3 inthe sidebars 9 faces inward in order to illuminate the roof of thevehicle 4, and/or cargo (not shown) secured to the roof rack system 100above the roof of the vehicle 4.

According to an embodiment, the advantages of the roof rack lightingsystem 100 of this invention may be best achieved when the light source3 does not extend above the top of the mounting frame 1 and thus doesnot obstruct the loading of cargo (not shown).

The use of a receptacle 11 integrated into the mounting frame section 1allows for the use of light sources 3 much longer than the discretelights found in the prior art, as discussed above. In an embodiment, thelight source 3 may take up the majority of the side of the mountingframe 1. The receptacle 11 and light source 3 may also extend along anentire outer surface 5 (front, sides, and/or rear) of a mounting frame1. Further, in both sidebars 9 and crossbars 10, the receptacle 11, lens7, and light source 5 may extend to either or both ends of the bar,allowing light from the light source to shine out from not only the sideof the bar but also the ends.

Referring now to FIG. 6, in an embodiment, the roof rack lighting system100 includes an additional receptacle 11 and light source 3 on theopposite side of the mounting frame 1. As with the other embodiments,these additional components may be used in both crossbars 10 andsidebars 9, and in a variety of applications.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-2 and 7-9, in an embodiment, the roof racklighting system 100 includes mounting frame sections 1 mountedtransversely to the equipped vehicle 4 using the mounting elements 2. Inan embodiment, the mounting frame sections 1 may thus form the crossbars10 of the roof rack with the light sources 3 facing forward and/orbackward.

In an embodiment, as best seen in FIG. 10, the roof rack lighting system100 may function as an additional brake light. According to anembodiment, the system 100 includes a mounting frame 1, which isattached to the roof of the vehicle 4 by an attachment element (notshown) that connects and attaches the mounting frame 1 to the vehicle 4or to another section of the roof rack frame. The mounting frame 1contains a receptacle 11 in the side of the mounting frame 1 that can bemounted facing toward the rear of the vehicle 4 that is configured toaccommodate a light source 3. Within the light source 3, illuminationmay be provided by a lamp (not shown) of a sort suitable for automotiveapplications, such as halogen, LED, electroluminescent, or florescent.

In an embodiment, the outer surface of the light source 3 may include alens 7 that protects the lamp within the light source. The light source3 may thus function as a brake light by providing red light either byusing red lamps of a type suitable for automotive applications, or byusing a red-colored lens or section of lens 13. The lamp should be onecapable of producing two brightness levels in order to provide increasedintensity when the brakes are applied. Further, the system 100 can be incommunication with the braking system (not shown) or associated lightingsystem of the equipped automobile 4 so the brake light 13 can beilluminated at the correct times. The light source 3 may also be incommunication with the hazard warning system (not shown) of the equippedvehicle 4, and thus also function as a flashing hazard warning.

In an embodiment, the roof rack lighting system 100 may include awarning light 14, as best seen in FIG. 10. The warning light 14 may beyellow and this coloration of the illumination can be achieved usingeither a colored lamp or section of lens 14. According to an embodiment,the warning light or lights 14 may be in communication with the lightingsystem of the equipped vehicle so the warning light can be illuminatedappropriately. The warning lights 14 may be located on the front 15,sides 9, and/or rear bar 17 of the roof rack system 100, and thusadditionally function as turn signals, and/or hazard warnings.

The foregoing exemplary descriptions and the illustrative embodiments ofthe present application have been explained in the drawings anddescribed in detail, with varying modifications and alternativeembodiments being disclosed. While the embodiments have been sodisclosed, described, and illustrated, it should be understood by thoseskilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may bemade therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention, and that the scope of the present invention is to be limitedonly to the claims except as precluded by the prior art. Moreover, theembodiments as disclosed herein, may be suitably practiced in theabsence of the specific elements which are disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicular roof rack lighting system,comprising: a mounting frame section, said mounting frame sectionconfigured for mounting to a first and a second mounting element;wherein said mounting frame section has a top, a front, and a rear side;wherein said mounting frame section comprises a receptacle for a lightsource within the mounting frame section at the front or rear side;wherein said light source is configured for connection to a powersource; a translucent lens at the front or rear side of the mountingframe section covering the light source; wherein said lens covers themajority of the front or rear side of the mounting frame section;wherein said receptacle is configured to structurally cover and protectby an upper portion of said lens generally parallel to a roof of anequipped vehicle.
 2. The vehicular roof rack lighting system of claim 1further comprising a diffuser.
 3. The vehicular roof rack lightingsystem of claim 1 wherein the translucent lens further comprises adiffuser.
 4. The vehicular roof rack lighting system of claim 2 whereinthe light source comprises an LED light source.
 5. The vehicular roofrack lighting system of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises afluorescent light source.
 6. The vehicular roof rack lighting system ofclaim 1 wherein the light source comprises a halogen light source.
 7. Avehicular roof rack lighting system, comprising: a mounting framesection, said mounting frame section configured for mounting to a firstand a second mounting element; wherein said mounting frame section has atop, a front, and a rear side; wherein said mounting frame sectioncomprises a receptacle for a light source at the rear side of themounting frame section at the front or rear side; wherein said lightsource is configured for connection to a power source; a translucentlens at the rear side of the mounting frame section covering the lightsource; wherein said lens covers a portion of the rear side of themounting frame section; wherein said receptacle is configured tostructurally cover and protect by an upper portion of said lensgenerally parallel to a roof of an equipped vehicle; a brake lightconfigured for connection to the braking system of the equipped vehicle.8. The vehicular roof rack lighting system of claim 7 wherein the brakelight comprises a red colored section of said translucent lens.
 9. Thevehicular roof rack lighting system of claim 7 wherein the brake lightcomprises a light source that provides primarily red light whenilluminated.
 10. The vehicular roof rack lighting system of claim 7wherein the light source is capable of being illuminated to at least twobrightness levels.
 11. The vehicular roof rack lighting system of claim7 further comprising a warning light comprising a second light sourcewithin said receptacle; wherein said second light source is configuredfor connection to a power source; wherein said warning light isconfigured for connection to the lighting system of the equippedvehicle.
 12. The vehicular roof rack lighting system of claim 11 whereinthe warning light comprises a yellow colored section of said translucentlens.
 13. The vehicular roof rack lighting system of claim 11 whereinthe second light source provides primarily yellow light whenilluminated.
 14. A method of illuminating a roof rack brake lightingsystem comprising, providing a roof rack lighting system according toclaim 7; connecting said light source to an electrical system of theequipped vehicle; connecting said brake light to said braking system ofthe equipped vehicle; illuminating said brake light when the brakingsystem of the equipped vehicle is activated.
 15. The method ofilluminating a roof rack brake lighting system of claim 14 furthercomprising: providing a warning light within said receptacle comprisinga second light source; connecting said second light source to anelectrical system of the equipped vehicle; connecting said second lightsource to said lighting system of the equipped vehicle; illuminatingsaid warning light to provide primarily yellow light when the lightingsystem of the equipped vehicle is activated.